Percussion musical instrument

ABSTRACT

This musical instrument includes a drumstick having a percussion assembly mounted thereon. The percussion assembly consists of a pair of cymbals freely mounted on a stem which is transversely oriented relative to the drumstick. The percussion assembly is adjustably clamped to the drumstick and the stem includes an adjustable limit nut limiting the travel of the cymbals thereon. The volume and character of the sound may thereby be controlled.

I Unlted States Patent m13,592,097

[72] Inventor Donald C. Friede 2,678,517 5/1954 Gibson i 84/418 4839 Dorsie Drive, Sappington, Mo. 63128 3.368.442 2/1968 Wilcoxon 84/422 {21] Appl. No. 9,579 $439,572 4/1969 Cohen 6. 84/402 iga 25 33 Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner Lawrence R. Franklin Attorney-Cohn & Powell [54] PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENT 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

84/422 ABSTRACT: This musical instrument includes a drumstick [51] Ill. Cl. ..Gl0d 13/06 having a Percussion assembly mounted thereon The percus [50] Field 0 Search 84/104, sion assembly consists f a pair f cymbals f l mounted on 41 420i 422 a stem which is transversely oriented relative to the drumstick. The percussion assembly is adjustably clamped to the drum- [56] CM stick and the stem includes an adjustable limit mi: limiting the UNITED STATES PATENTS travel of the cymbals thereon. The volume and character of 1,148,451 7/1915 Gosliner 46/46 the sound may thereby be controlled.

PERCUSSION MUSICAL INSTRUMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to musical percussion instruments, and in particular to a miniature percussion assembly which may be mounted on a drumstick.

In percussion instruments the sound effect is achieved by the impact of one part against another. Such instruments have been used by musicians since antiquity and range in complexity from the simple hand drum to the modem piano. The conventional cymbal is a well-known member of the percussion family both as a hand-manipulated instrument and as an integral part of a drum set.

The clashing sound emitted when thin sheets of brass are struck or clashed together has proven sufficiently popular that other instruments have been devised, in addition to the familiar cymbal, to produce a similar sound. The tambourine, which is a shallow hand drum with jingling metal discs spaced in pairs around the head, is undoubtedly the most common but, other later variations are known. See, for example, US. Pat. Nos. 3,141,370 and 3,215,020 which disclose cymbal set attachments. The known prior art does not reveal the use of miniature cymbals or other percussion assemblies in combination with a drumstick.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention provides a miniature percussion assembly mounted on a drumstick and vibrated with the drumstick to produce a unique sound combination. The volume and character of the sound may be varied by adjustment of the percussion assembly itself and by adjustment of the location of the assembly along the length of the drumstick.

This percussion musical instrument includes a drumstick and a percussion assembly mounted in clamped relation on the drumstick. The percussion assembly includes a stem, disposed in transverse relation to the drumstick; a pair of cymbals or other percussion elements mounted on the stem, at least one of said elements being movable on the stem, and clamp means mounting the assembly to the drumstick.

The stem on which the cymbals are mounted is provided by a bolt and the mounting means includes a clamp element embracingly disposed about the drumstick and having a threaded aperture receiving the bolt. The drumstick is clamped between the clamp element and the shank of the bolt, which is preferably a wingbolt.

Each of the cymbals is preferably freely :mounted on the bolt and reciprocating movement of the cymbals is possible between the clamp element, which provides a seat for the lower cymbal, and a limit nut disposed above the upper cymbal. The limit nut is adjustably mounted to the bolt to confine and control reciprocating motion of said cymbals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is an elevational view ofa drumstick having a cymbal assembly mounted thereon;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevational view illustrating the cymbal assembly in detail;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged end elevational view of the cymbal assembly; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of the cymbal assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now by characters of reference to the drawing and first to FIG. I it will be understood that the musical instrument includes a drumstick 10 or similar elongate rod, adapted for impact against a percussion surface 11 such as a drumskin. A percussion assembly, generally indicated by numeral 12, is mounted to the drumstick l and responds to the impact between the drumstick and the surface 11.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate the percussion assembly 12 in some detail. In the preferred embodiment the percussion assembly 12 includes a pair of opposed, substantially similar, miniature cymbals 13 and 14. The cymbals 13 and 14 are mounted in movable relation on the shank 16 ofa wingbolt 15, said shank l6 constituting a stem. The cymbals are shown in the operative, separated condition in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.

Each of the cymbals 13 and 14 includes a boss 20, having an aperture 21 which receives the bolt shank 16 in slidable relation, and engaging rim portions 22. The rim portions 22 are in register and emit a cymballike sound when clashed together.

The cymbal assembly 12 is clamped to the drumstick 10 by means of a substantially U-shaped clamp element 23 which is disposed in embracing relation about the drumstick 10. The clamp element 23 includes a threaded aperture 24, which receives the compatibly threaded wingbolt shank 16, and the clamping action is achieved by engagement of the drumstick 10 between the clamp fingers 25 and the end of the shank l6.

Reciprocating travel of the cymbals l3 and 14 on the bolt shank I6 is limited by an adjustable limit nut 26 disposed above the upper cymbal and by the clamp 23, which provides a seating portion 27 for the lower cymbal 13. It will be understood that the nut 26 may be fully tightened down on the boss 20 to urge the cymbals l3 and 14 together and preclude independent movement of the cymbals l3 and 14, in which case no sound is emitted from the cymbal assembly 12.

It is thought that the structural features of this percussion musical instrument have become fully apparent from the foregoing description of parts, but for completeness of disclosure, the manner of using the instrument will be briefly summarized.

The percussion assembly 12 is not limited to use with a drumstick but may be attached, for example, to the hammer of a Xylophone or Vibraphone. However, a combined drumming and cymbal sound is particularly pleasing and for purposes of explanation, the use of the assembly 12 with a drumstick such as that indicated by numeral 10 will be presumed.

The clamping element 23 is slipped over the end of the drumstick l0 and adjusted at any desired location along the length of the drumstick 10 by simply tightening the wingbolt 15 against the drumstick 10. The fingers 25 of the clamp 23 cooperate with the wingbolt shank 16 to provide three points of support securely gripping said drumstick 10. The limit nut 26 is adjusted to a desired distance above the upper cymbal l4 and thereby controls the reciprocating travel of the cymbals l3 and 14. The bolt shank I6 is transversely oriented relative to the drumstick I0 and, in consequence, any impact by the end of the drumstick 10 on a surface such as a drumskin 11 will induce reciprocating motion into one or both of the cymbals 13 and 14. It will be understood that the greater the impact of the drumstick 10 against the drumskin, the greater the travel of the cymbals l3 and 14 and the louder the sound will be. Further, if the travel of the cymbals 13 and 14 is abruptly terminated, as by limit nut 26, the character of the sound will change. A cymbal configuration for the percussion elements is preferred but the instrument is not limited to this configuration, although it has been found that a percussion element having concave configuration produces a superior sound quality.

It will be clear that movement of the percussion elements 13 and 14 on the bolt shank 16 is conditioned by the location of the percussion assembly 12 along the length of the drumstick 10. Thus, by simply relocating the percussion assembly 12 along the drumstick 10, the character of the percussion effect may be varied.

Brass or bronze is the usual material used in the manufacture of cymbals. However, the percussion elements are not limited to this material and various materials such as plastic and wood may be used to achievea specific effect.

I claim as my invention:

1. A percussion musical instrument comprising:

a. a drumstick b. a percussion assembly including:

1 a stem, 7 2. a pair of percussion elements mounted on the stern,

and

3. mounting means mounting the assembly to the drumstick.

2. A musical instrument as defined in claim 1, in which:

c. the mounting means includes a clamp element embracingly disposed in detachable relation about the drumstick.

3. A musical instrument as defined in claim 1, in which:

c. the mounting means includes a clamp element embracingly disposed in detachable relation about the drumstick and having a threaded aperture, and

d. the stem is threadedly received by said aperture to clamp the clamp element to the drumstick.

4. A percussion musical instrument comprising:

a. a drumstick,

b. a percussion assembly including:

1. a stem disposed in transverse relation to the drumstick,

2. a pair of cymbals mounted on the stem, at least one of said cymbals being movable on the stem, and

3. mounting means mounting the assembly to the drumstick.

5. A musical instrument as defined in claim 4, in which:

c. adjustable limit means on the stem selectively limits movement ofsaid one cymbal on the stem.

6. A musical instrument as defined in claim 4, in which:

c. each of the cymbals is centrally apertured for slidable movement on the stem,

d. the mounting means includes a clamp element embracingly disposed in detachable relation about the drumstick, said clamp element having a threaded aperture, and

e. the stem is threadedly received by said aperture to clamp the clamp element to the drumstick.

7. A musical instrument as defined in claim 4, in which:

c. a bolt provides the stem,

d. each of the cymbals is centrally apertured for free movement on the bolt,

e. the mounting means includes a clamp element embracingly disposed in detachable relation about the drumstick, the clamp element having a threaded aperture,

. the bolt is threadedly received by said aperture to clamp the clamp element to the drumstick,

g. the clamp element provides a seat for one of said cymbals, and

h. a threadedly adjustable limit nut is disposed outwardly of said cymbals to limit movement thereof on the bolt.

8. A musical instrument as defined in claim 7, in which:

i. the bolt is threaded to permit the limit nut to selectively clamp the cymbals together to preclude percussion movement thereof on the bolt. 

1. A percussion musical instrument comprising: a. a drumstick b. a percussion assembly including:
 1. a stem,
 2. a pair of percussion elements mounted on the stem, and
 3. mounting means mounting the assembly to the drumstick.
 2. a pair of percussion elements mounted on the stem, and
 2. A musical instrument as defined in claim 1, in which: c. the mounting means includes a clamp element embracingly disposed in detachable relation about the drumstick.
 2. a pair of cymbals mounted on the stem, at least one of said cymbals being movable on the stem, and
 3. mounting means mounting the assembly to the drumstick.
 3. A musical instrument as defined in claim 1, in which: c. the mounting means includes a clamp element embracingly disposed in detachable relation about the drumstick and having a threaded aperture, and d. the stem is threadedly received by said aperture to clamp the clamp element to the drumstick.
 3. mounting means mounting the assembly to the drumstick.
 4. A percussion musical instrument comprising: a. a drumstick, b. a percussion assembly including:
 5. A musical instrument as defined in claim 4, in which: c. adjustable limit means on the stem selectively limits movement of said one cymbal on the stem.
 6. A musical instrument as defined in claim 4, in which: c. each of the cymbals is centrally apertured for slidable movement on the stem, d. the mounting means includes a clamp element embracingly disposed in detachable relation about the drumstick, said clamp element having a threaded aperture, and e. the stem is threadedly received by said aperture to clamp the clamp element to the drumstick.
 7. A musical instrument as defined in claim 4, in which: c. a bolt provides the stem, d. each of the cymbals is centrally apertured for free movement on the bolt, e. the mounting means includes a clamp element embracingly disposed in detachable relation about the drumstick, the clamp element having a threaded aperture, f. the bolt is threadedly received by said aperture to clamp the clamp element to the drumstick, g. the clamp element provides a seat for one of said cymbals, and h. a threadedly adjustable limit nut is disposed outwardly of said cymbals to limit movement thereof on the bolt.
 8. A musical instrument as defined in claim 7, in which: i. the bolt is threaded to permit the limit nut to selectively clamp the cymbals together to preclude percussion movement thereof on the bolt. 